Open hearth charging box



Nov. 17, 1964 F. KENNEDY 3,157,298

OPEN HEARTH CHARGING BOX Filed June 26, 1963 IIVVf/VTU/i FRANK KENNEDY \M By M A from ey United States Patent Ofi 3,157,298 Patented Nov. 17; 1964 ice 3,157,298 OlEN HEARTH CHARGING BOX Frank Kennedy, Westmont, Pa., assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Filed June 26, 1%3, Ser. No. 290,787 Claims. (Cl. 214-26) This invention relates to charging boxes for open hearth furnaces and, more particularly, to boxes fabricated from steel plate. In a manner to be described the invention resides in the construction of the socket by which each box is supported on the head of a charging machine peel.

Open hearth charging boxes are customarily heavy expensive steel castings since this type of construction is considered essential to provide the strength required to withstand the heat of the furnace and the concentration of stress that results from end-handling by the peel of an open hearth charging machine. Although boxes fabricated by welding steel plate are less costly and have recognized advantages from the standpoint of being lighter in weight and better able to withstand furnace heat, previous proposals of boxes of this type have not proved satisfactory because of difliculty in forming welded connections of adequate strength between the parts thereof and consequent failure of such connections. This problem has been especially troublesome in the end portion of the box in which the peel head socket is constructed. One of the objects of this invention accordingly is to provide a fabricated box that is not subject to this difficulty. A further and related object is to provide a peel head socket of improved construction in a charging box that in constructed entirely from welded steel plate.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a fabricated charging box that has a peel head socket constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end view taken in a direction looking from the right of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line IIIIII of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 shows a fragmentary portion of the structure shown in FIGURE 3 prior to the application of weld material thereto;

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view of the outer socket end wall of the charging box;

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view of one of the key blocks used in the construction of the socket shown in FIGURES 1 through 3; and

FIGURE 7 is a view similar :5 FIGURE 3 of a modified embodiment of the invention.

The charging box shown in the drawings is fabricated entirely from steel plates and slabs. It is an elongated relatively shallow receptacle that has a bottom wall 1, side walls 2, and end walls 3 and 4. The bottom wall 1 and side walls 2 are formedby bending from a single sheet or plate. The end Walls3 and 4 are welded in position along the inner surfaces of the bottom and side walls.

The side walls 2 are stiffened against bending and twisting by reinforcing plates 5 that are welded along the upper ends thereof; Openings 6 arranged centrally and adjacent the upper edges of each of the end walls 3 and 4 provide for handling by hooks suspended from a crane.

The socket for supporting the box on the head ofa peel from entering an opening 9 in the plate end wall 4 for ,the reception of the locking pin for the charging machine peel. The outer plate 7 has a notch or opening 10 that is centrally located therein and extends downwardly from its upper edge to provide for movement of a charging. machine peel to a position with its head between the plates 4 and 7 and opposite the locking pin opening 8.

The socket for the peel head is completed by a pair of key blocks I11 which span the space between the plates 4 and 7 and define the sides of the socket. Longitudinally opposite end portions 12 on each of the blocks 11 are received in key openings 13 in the plates 4 and 7. As illustrated in the drawings, the blocks 11 and openings 13 are arranged in laterally spaced parallel positions on opposite sides of the box, with the key openings 13 in the plates 4 and 7 arranged in longitudinally spaced pairs for the reception of the key block'end portions 12. The key blocks 11 and openings 13 are elongated in a direction extending upwardly from the bottom wall 1 and have sloping upper ends that correspond to the slope of the ligaments 14 between the openings 13 and central opening or notch 10 in the outer plate 7. In addition to formingthe sides of the peel head socket, the key blocks 11 operate to key the plates 4 and 7 against twisting movement relativeto each other when the box is lifted and turned by operation of the charging machine peel head.

Openings 27 in the bottom 1 are provided for the removal of material to prevent cloggage of the socket space between the blocks 11 and the plates 4 and 7.

In fabricating the box, the openings 13 are cut in the plates 4 and 7 and the key blocks 11 are preferably assembled therein prior to emplacement of the plates 4 and 7 in position on the bottom Wall 1 and between the side. 4

Walls 2. The blocks 11 are secured to the end wall plate 4 by fillet welds 15 that extend completely around the The blocks 11 are also securedto opening 13 therein. the plates 7 by circumferentially extending welds about the openings 13 therein, which include fillet welds 16 similar to the welds 15 and prepared welds'17 opposite the sloping ligaments 14 and the vertical ligaments 18 preferably applied before the plates 4 and 7 are placed 7 in position on the box bottom wall 1,- although they may. I I be applied later if desired. The plate! is secured to the walls 1 and 2 by a filletlweld 21 that extends about its peripheral edges. The plate 7 is similarly secured in position on the walls 1 and 2 by a fillet weld 22 about its p edges. Attention is. directed to the fact that all welds required for assembly of theplates 4 and 7 and the key blocks 11 are applied: from opposite sides of the plates 4f [11' and 7m locations readily accessibl e'to the operator applying the Welds. Since no welds are required at points beof an open hearth charging machine is'formed in'part by the end wall 4, which is asteel plate extending transversely between the side walls 2, and'a second or socket plate7 that is spaced outwardly from and parallel to the end wall or inner plate 4. The outer plate 7 is welded in position on the bottom wall 1 and side walls 2 which tween the plates 4 and 7, the spacing between such plates i can be limited to that required for the charging machine peel head. This together with the keying action ofthe 4 blocks 11 eliminates twisting'movement of the plates: 4 and 7 relative to eachotherand insures a more equal division of the operating loads on such plates and thus reduces the maximum load that is applied to any portion of the welds requiredfor the fabrication of the peel head socket.

FIGURE 7 disclosesa modified embodiment of the invention in which the key openings 13' are omitted from the end plate 7 and the key blocks 11 are secured to the v inner surface 23 of the end plate 7 by fillet welds 24 and prepared welds 25 that extend about the entire periphery of the blocks 11. This modification is assembled on the box by first welding the blocks 11 in position on the end plate 7. After this has been done the plate 7 is secured in position on the walls 1 and 2 by applying a fillet weld 22 as explained above and, preferably, an additional weld 26 about the periphery of the inner surface 23. The inner plate 4 is then placed in the position shown in the drawings with the ends 12 of the blocks 11 projecting through the key openings 13 therein after which welds 15 and 21 are applied as explained above. Although this modification employs welds 24, 25 and 26, which are in the space between the plates 4 and 7, it will be noted that such welds are applied before assembly of the inner plate 4 and thus in locations readily accessible to the welder. It will also be noted that this modification enables a close spacing of the plates 4 and 7 that is the same as that in the preferred embodiment shown in the preceding figures.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A peel head socket for an open hearth charging box comprising a pair of plates in longitudinally spaced and transversely extending positions at one end of said box, each of said plates having a pair of laterally spaced parallel key openings therein respectively positioned on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of said box, and a pair of key blocks spanning the space between said plates and having end portions fitted in said key openings, said plates and blocks cooperating to define a socket opening for the reception of the head of a charging machine peel and said key blocks operating to hold said plates against twisting movement relative to each other.

2. A charging box peel head socket as defined in claim 1 characterized by said key blocks having welded connections about the peripheries of their said end portions with said plates and by said plates having peripheral welded connections with the sides and bottom of said box.

3. A peel head socket for an open hearth charging box comprising a pair of plates in longitudinally spaced and transversely extending positions at one end of said 4 box, one of said plates having a pair of laterally spaced parallel key openings therein respectively positioned on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of said box, and a pair of key blocks spanning the space between said plates and respectively having a portion at one end thereof fitted in one of said key openings and a welded connection at the other end thereof to the other one of said plates, said plates and blocks cooperating to define a socket opening for the reception of the head of a charging machine peel and said key blocks operating to hold said plates against twisting movement relative to each other.

4. A peel head socket for an open hearth charging box comprising the combination with a pair of plates in longitudinally spaced and transversely extending positions at one end of said box, of means holding said plates against twisting movement relative to each other comprising a pair of laterally spaced parallel key openings in one of said plates respectively positioned on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of said box, a pair of key bars arranged in said openings and having portions projecting therefrom and engaged with the other of said plates, and welded connections securing said key bar portions with said other plate, said key blocks and plates cooperating to define a socket opening for the head of a charging machine peel.

5. In an open hearth charging box having steel plate bottom, side and end walls assembled by welding, a peel head socket comprising the combination with one of said end wall plates, of a socket plate supported in a position parallel to and spaced from said one end wall plate, one of said plates having a pair of laterally spaced parallel key openings therein respectively positioned on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of said box, and a pair of key blocks spanning the space between and having welded connections with said socket plate and said one end wall plate, said key blocks each having longitudinal end portions received in one of said key openings, said plates and blocks cooperating to define a socket opening for the reception of the head of a charging machine peel and said key blocks operating to hold said plates against twisting movement relative to each other.

Taylor June 20, 1905 Forsythe May 2, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 157,298 November 17 1964 Frank Kennedy It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 2, line 414 for "chambering" read chamferrrfing Signed and sealed this 13th day of April 19656 (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER' EDWARD J. BRENNER A-ttesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A PEEL HEAD SOCKET FOR AN OPEN HEARTH CHARGING BOX COMPRISING A PAIR OF PLATES IN LONGITUDINALLY SPACED AND TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING POSITIONS AT ONE END OF SAID BOX, EACH OF SAID PLATES HAVING A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED PARALLEL KEY OPENINGS THEREIN RESPECTIVELY POSITIONED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID BOX, AND A PAIR OF KEY BLOCKS SPANNING THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID PLATES AND HAVING END PORTIONS FITTED IN SAID KEY OPENINGS, SAID PLATES AND BLOCKS COOPERATING TO DEFINE A SOCKET OPENING FOR THE RECEPTION OF THE HEAD OF A CHARGING MACHINE PEEL AND SAID 